Roof hatch



Oct. 16, 1956 T. L. URQUHART ROOF HATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1954 2: .l ii H l 5 INVENTOR. THORNTON L.URQUHART FIGB.

ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Oct. 16, 1956 T. L. URQUHART ROOF HATCH THORNTON LURQUHART Filed Jan. 11, 1954 Oct. 16, 1956 1-. URQUHART ROOF HATCH Filed Jan. 11, 1954 3 She ets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

THORNTON L.URQUHART ATTORNEYS United tates Patent ROOF HATCH Thornton L. Urquhart, Farmington, Mich, assignor to Byrne Doors, lnc., Ferndale, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application January 11, 1954, Serial No. 403,091

8 Claim, (ill. 189-50) The invention relates to roof hatches and refers more particularly to hatches for roofs of industrial buildings.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a roof hatch which will automatically open in the event of an abnormally high temperature within the building.

The invention has for other objects to provide a roof hatch constructed to open under the force exerted by gravity and also constructed so that the mechanism supporting a hatch leaf is movable to permit opening of the the hatch leaf; and to provide a roof hatch in which the supporting mechanism is located above the roof trusses to avoid interference with any wiring, ducts and other equipment located in the bays between the trusses.

The invention has for still another object to provide a roof hatch in which the mechanism for supporting a hatch leaf in closed position is at one side of the center of gravity of the hatch leaf so that the hatch leaf is movable directly by gravity to open position.

The invention has for a further object to provide a roof hatch having an improved temperature controlled release device forming part of the system holding a hatch leaf in closed position.

With these as well as other objects in View, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a schematic plan View of a roof with hatches embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section through the roof showing the hatches;

Figure 4 is a plan view partly broken away of a portion of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross section partly broken away on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 with one hatch leaf in closed position and the other hatch leaf in open position and illustrating particularly the weather proofing construction;

Figures 7, 8, 9 and are cross sections on the lines 77, 8-8, 9-9 and 1il1i), respectively, of Figure 6;

Figure 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 5;

Figure 12 is a side elevation of Figure 11.

As ilustrated in the drawings the hatch is designed for use in a roof of an industrial building provided with houses for ventilating equipment, fire fighting equipment, or other equipment or with aisles between hatches, Figures 1 and 2 showing the roof with the houses 1 at the ends of adjacent hatches. The roof has openings adapted to be closed by the hatches, the opening shown particularly in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 being formed of the roof deck 2 and the houses 1. The houses and roof deck are directly supported on the purlins 3 which in turn are supported on the roof trusses 4.

The hatch comprises the frame 5, the hatch leaves 6, and the mechanisms '7 for suporting the hatch leaves.

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The frame 5 extends into the roof opening and rests directly on and is secured to the purlins 3, and comprises the lower side beams 8 and end beams 9 preferably of channel section, and the upper side bars I!) and end bars 11 also preferably of channel section and directly above the side beams and end beams. The beams are fixedly secured to each other at their ends and the bars are also fixedly secured to each other at their ends and to the beams. The beams and bars enclose an opening adapted to be closed by the hatch leaves 6. Each hatch leaf is formed of the frame 12 and the deck 13, the frame being formed of the inner and outer side bars 14 and 15, respectively, and the end bars 16 fixedly secured to each other at their ends. The deck is of conventional construction. The construction of each hatch leaf is such that its center of gravity 17 is located nearer the inner side bar i4 than the outer side bar 15, the inner side bar 14 as shown in the present instance being of I-beam section and much larger and heavier than the outer side bar 15 which is of channel section. The end bars 16 are also of channel section. The length of each hatch leaf is less than the distance between the end bars 11 and end beams 9 of the frame 5, so that each hatch leaf may move from a closed position above the frame 5 downwardly within the frame to an open position at which time the hatch leaf extends partially within the frame 5 and partially above and is substantially vertical.

The mechanism 7 for each hatch leaf comprises the pair of links 18 and the pair of links 19, both pairs being operatively connected to the hatch leaf at points spaced outwardly of the longitudinal plane passing through the center of gravity 17 and between this plane and the outer bar 15. The upper ends of the links 18 are pivotally connected at 26 to the end bars 16 outwardly of the longitudinal plane passing through the center of gravity 17 and the lower ends of these links are pivotally connected at 21 to the brackets 22 depending from and fixedly secured to the end beams 9. Corresponding ends of the links 19 are pivotally connected at 22 to the end bars 16 at points outwardly from the pivots 2i), and the other ends of the links 19 are pivotally connected at 23 to the brackets 24 extending upwardly above and fixedly secured to the end bars 11 of the frame 5. In the closed position of each hatch leaf at which time it is located above the frame 5 and slopes downwardly and outwardly from its inner edge to its outer edge, the pivots 21 are ofiset outwardly with respect to the pivots 2G, and the pivots 2-3 are offset outwardly with respect to the pivots 22', so that when the hatch leaf is moving from closed position to open position its inner edge portion may move downwardly directly by gravity, at which time the links 18 swing outwardly about their pivots 21 and the links 19 swing outwardly about their pivots 23.

To normally hold each of the hatch leaves in closed position, I have provided a cable system comprising the cable 25, and the temperature controlled release devices 26 in the cable. The cable is anchored at its ends and extends over a series of sheaves including at least two secured to the frame of each hatch leaf. In detail, one end 25" of the cable is anchored to one of the reinforcing members, such as a bar, of the hatch leaf frame 12 outwardly beyond the pivots 22' of the links 19, and the other end 25 is anchored to the column 27 forming part of the support for a roof truss 4. The cable extends over the sheaves 28, 29 and 30 depending from the reinforcing member of the hatch leaf frame in substantial alignment longitudinally of the hatch leaf with the anchored end 25 of the cable, and also extends over other sheaves 31 and 32 which are normally operatively connected to the release devices 26. Each sheave 31 or 32 has the side plates 33 secured at their lower edges to the upper cross bar 34 of a release device. This cross bar is connected at its ends to the links 35 which are fixedly secured at their lower ends to the lower cross bar 36. 37 is a plate secured to a purlin 3 and extending laterally therebeyond and having a notch in its upper surface engaged by the cross bar 34-. 38 is a rockable member having at one end the flat plate-like head 39 provided with upper and lower beveled edges normally engaging notches in the lower surface of the plate 37 and the upper surface of the lower cross bar 36. The rockable member is normally held at its end remote from the head against the adjustable screw 40 threaded in the plate 37, by means of the cable 41 secured to this end of the rockable member and extending over the sheave 42 and connected to the fuse 43, which is located at a desired point in the building. With this construction of release device, the tension in the cable exertsbut very little force upon the rockable member tending to turn the same in a clockwise direction about head 39 to release the links from the head of the rockable member. At the same time it will be seen that when the fuse is subjected to an abnormally high temperature, such as that resulting from a fire, it releases the cable 41 and allows the rockable member 38 to swing in a clockwise direction about head 39 under the force of gravity and the tension in cable 25, as viewed in Figure 12, thereby releasing the cross bar 36 from the head 39 and allowing the sheaves 31 and 32 to move upwardly as the associated hatch leaf swings from closed position to open position. The cross bar 36 is released from head 39 by reason of the fact that bar 36 pivots about the axis of bar 34 while the head pivots about the notch in the underside of plate 37. Thus, bar 36 and the latter notch move apart as the member 38 pivots, releasing the bar 36 from the head of member 38. To hold the rockable member 38 from falling to the floor of the building after the links 35 have become disengaged, the cable 41 is provided with the enlargement 44 for engaging the sheave block of the sheave 42.

To provide for ventilation, the anchor for the end 25 of the cable 25 on the column 27 is a hand operated mechanism of conventional construction, such as a winch.

The gap between the inner edges of the hatch leaves 6 when in closed position is closed by the V-shaped cap 45 which is fixedly secured at one edge to one of the leaves. The outer side bars of the hatch leaf frames 12 are adapted to engage the flexible weathering 46, preferably formed of rubber, upon the side bars 10 when the hatch leaves are in closed position. I also provide means for weatherprooflng the gaps between the ends of the hatch leaves and the adjacent walls of the houses 1 when the hatch leaves are in closed position, and as shown particularly in Figures 6 tolO, inclusive. This means comprises the flashing 47 upon the house walls, the channel-shaped weather stripping 48 also upon the house walls and a cooperating flashing 49 upon the leaves. The flashing 47 has the depending flange 50 terminating closely adjacent either the upper surface of the hatch leaf decks or the flashing 49. The flashing 49 has the depending flange 51 terminating adjacent the bottom of the channel-shaped weather stripping 48.

rom the above description it will be seen that I have provided a roof hatch which is adapted to open automatically and in which the hatch leaves are movable from closed to open positions directly by gravity. It will also be seen that the mechanism for supporting the hatch leaves is located above the trusses carrying the purlins, and this mechanism at no time extends downwardly into the bay between adjacent trusses. Furthermore, the temperature controlled release devices are relatively small and are secured to the lower edges of the purlins so that they present no appreciable interference to the wiring, ducts, and other equipment located in the bay. It will also be seen that with my cable system for normally holding the hatch leaves in closed position,

the cable exerts but verylittle force, tending to trip the release devices.

What I claim is:

1. A hatch for a roof supported on roof trusses comprising a frame enclosing an opening, means including a hatch leaf for closing the opening, said leaf being swingable from closed to open positions above said roof trusses, means located entirely above the roof trusses pivotally connected to said frame and to said leaf at one side of its center of gravity for supporting said leaf, and means for normally holding said leaf in closed position. i

2. A hatch for a roof supported on roof trusses comprising a frame enclosing an opening, means including a hatch leaf for closing the opening, said leaf being swingable under the force exerted by gravity from closed position to open position and being entirely above said roof trusses in both positions, movable means located entirely above the roof trusses for supporting said leaf on said frame, and means for holding said leaf in closed position. I

3. A hatch for a roof supported on roof trusses comprising a frame enclosing an opening, means including a hatch leaf for closing the opening, said leaf being swingable under the force exerted by gravity from a closed position extending above said frame to an open position extending within said frame and above the roof trusses, and means located entirely above the roof trusses for swingably supporting said leaf in closed position.

4. A roof hatch comprising a frame enclosing an opening, means including a hatchleaf for closing the opening, said leaf being movable from closed to open positions, and means for holding said leaf in closed position, the last named means including a cable anchored at its ends and operatively connected to said leaf intermediate its ends and a temperature controlled release device provided with a head operatively connected to said cable and a member carrying said head rockable to release said head from said cable. V

5. A roof hatch comprising a frameenclosing an opening, means including a hatch leaf for closing the opening, said leaf being movable from closed to open positions, and means for holding said leaf inclosed position, the last named means including a cable operatively connected to said leaf, a temperature controlled release device provided with a head operatively connected to said cable, and a member carrying said head rockable to release said head from said cable. l f

6. A roof hatch comprising a frame enclosing an opening, means including a hatch leaf for closing the opening, said leaf being movable from closed to open positions, and means for holding said leaf in closed position, the last named means including a cable operatively connected to said leaf, a temperature controlled release device provided with a head operatively connected to said cable, a member carrying said head rockable to release said headfrom said cable, and means holding said member against rocking movement, said holding means including a temperature controlled element forreleasing said rockable member when said element is subjected to abnormal temperatures.

7. A roof hatch comprising a frameenclosing an opening, means including a movable hatch leaf for closing the opening, said leaf being swingable from closed position above said frame to open vertical position having an edge portion extending within said frame, means pivotally con nected to said frame and to said leaf for supporting said leaf and for shifting the latter to a position closely adjacent an edge of said opening in response to swinging of said leaf to open position, and means for holding said leaf in closed position. p

8. A roof hatch comprising a frame enclosing an opening, means including a movable hatch leaf for closing the opening, said leaf being swingable from closed position above said frame to open vertical position having an edge portion extending within said frame, links pivotally connected to said frame and to said leaf at the side of its center of gravity opposite said edge portion for supporting said leaf and for shifting the latter to a position adjacent an edge of said opening in response to swinging of said leaf to open position, and means having a temperature controlled release device connected to said leaf at the same side of its center of gravity for holding said leaf in closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

